


More Than You Will Know

by lyricalnights



Category: Here's to You Rachel Robinson
Genre: Flings, Friendship, Gen, Hunks, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 19:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/601261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyricalnights/pseuds/lyricalnights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to my fabulous betas.</p><p>This didn't totally make it into the meat of the story, but in my head, Rachel studied music at Boston University, Stephanie studied computer science at UConn, and Alison got a degree in marketing from UC- Berkeley. In case you wondered.</p></blockquote>





	More Than You Will Know

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cbomb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cbomb/gifts).



Rachel’s fingers tapped a syncopated rhythm on her wine glass as she glanced around the shaded square filled with boutique stores and small cafes. It wasn’t anything like the now-familiar scenes of a Boston afternoon, but she was still impressed that her hometown had managed to stay current and thriving. Her parents had talked about selling their house in Palfrey’s Pond now that all three kids were grown, but in the end they had decided they couldn’t bear to leave.

She didn’t make it home often enough to suit them, naturally, and it was definitely weird to be back for this particular occasion.

“Oh my god!” The high-pitched squeal broke in on her thoughts. She looked up in time to see a blur of brown hair and high-top Chucks as Stephanie threw herself onto Rachel as though she were giving the last hug that would ever exist.

“Steph, it’s so great to see you,” she said, clutching her friend around the shoulders. “What on earth are you wearing?”

“One of my dork shirts, of course,” Stephanie answered. “I have to get max usage out of them during the summer since they don’t fit the ‘image befitting one of our state’s premier private schools.’ I argued that people expect their Tech Support to be eccentric but the Dean did not agree.”

“Oh, the woes of a computer whiz,” Rachel joked, settling back down into her chair as Stephanie scraped another out and flopped into it, reaching for the bottle in front of her. “All ready for the big day?”

“Ugh, don’t even get me started,” Stephanie said as she rolled her eyes. “My mother is practically vibrating a foot off the floor at this point. Bruce keeps telling her it doesn’t matter if the centerpieces match the napkins, but she won’t be convinced. I think we’re going to have to slip a tranq into her drink tonight at the rehearsal dinner.”

Rachel smiled. “Well, it’s not every day your baby boy marries a hot shot lawyer. A cute lawyer, too. If Steven played for our team I’d snap him up in a second.”

“Don’t you know all the cool people bat from both sides of the plate?” They heard Alison before they saw her, immediately jumping up to start another round of hugs and shrieks of greeting. 

She was looking every inch California Cool, and Rachel tried to smooth over the momentary tension in her jaw. She and Alison had never mentioned their short attempt at a relationship to Stephanie, agreeing that it was really for the best. It had been an experiment in sexuality for Rachel, and casual fun with a friend for Alison, just a couple of weeks in Senior Year. Steph could be weird about things like that, though, especially when you added in the dynamics of their three way friendship.

“Oh yeah, you’re sooo sophisticated.” Rachel said, covering for herself. “We mere East Coast rubes can but bask in your presence.”

Stephanie laughed and jostled Rachel with her foot. “Only you would use ‘rube’ as a self-insult, Ms. Boston Symphony Orchestra. It’s not like you don’t live the fancy life yourself.”

“I assure you,” said Rachel. “Practicing my fingers off and giving lessons to tin-eared students in my free time is much less glamorous than you might imagine.”

“But you love it,” Alison grinned. “The same way I love my store and Steph loves her scary server racks. You can’t fool us.”

“I never could.” Rachel nodded agreement. She did love her job, loved making music and getting paid for it, loved living in Boston and her tai chi class and her long term boyfriend. All these things she had never dreamed of way back in middle school when her life seemed like it would be consumed by pressure and stress.

“Anyway,” Stephanie broke in on the conversation, “I want to hear all about Gina’s new project. I hear they’re predicting another Emmy for that costume drama from last year.”

“No, no, no,” Alison proclaimed. “I may not have my Maizie anymore, but I’ll bite you myself before we start in on the movie star talk. Who’s this new mystery guy you’ve been blogging about? You were practically sappy the last time you posted.”

Stephanie looked down, shuffling her feet and clearing her throat. “Well, actually, he’s not really _new_ per se…” She trailed off.

“Oh?” said Rachel. “What gives with all the secrecy, then? Is he hideous? A nose picker? A closet Bieber fan?” She gave Stephanie a deadpan look. “Does he watch Honey Boo Boo unironically?”

“It’s Peter, okay!” Stephanie burst out. “Peter Klaff. We’ve been dating for, like, two months. And it’s pretty terrific.”

“Peter Klaff??” Alison and Rachel chorused together. “Like from school Peter Klaff, with the elbow scabs and the apple shampoo? That Peter Klaff?”

“Yeah,” Steph practically mumbled, now beet red. “He moved back to take over his mom’s practice when she decided to retire. We ran into each other at the grocery store and it just went on from there.”

After a moment of stunned silence, Alison burst into giggles, which quickly spread to Rachel. Stephanie tried to look offended, but soon they were all laughing like loons, making the people at nearby tables look over with concerned expressions.

“It’s not really funny,” Alison said, catching her breath. “It’s just weird, you guys connecting again after all this time. I mean, do you remember when you went out for, like, a minute in tenth grade and then he broke up with you to go out with Amber Ackbourne? And you were so mad we had to convince you not to go TP his house because Kara was still our friend?”

Stephanie mock-glared at Alison. “I remember it was around the time you were dating Eric Macaulay, and then you broke up with _him_ due to your extreme crush on that girl from the tennis team!”

“Ouch,” Alison groaned. “Sorry I ever started digging up the past.” She looked over at Rachel slyly. “It could have been worse, though… At least I never went out with Jeremy ‘Man Ho’ Dragon.”

“Hey,” Rachel said indignantly. “Don’t blame that on me. I was young, he was cute, there were all kinds of hormones just floating there, clouding my judgment. Anyway, he got back with Dana that summer, surprise surprise, so it’s not like either one of us thought it was anything serious.

“Enough about our old boyfriends! And girlfriends,” Stephanie added belatedly. “What matters is that we really like each other. He’s coming to the wedding, so be nice to him.”

“We promise,” Alison said.

“Of course!” Rachel added.

“But if he takes you outside to look at the stars, you have five minutes before we turn on the fire hose.” Alison smirked.

Stephanie groaned. “We’re doomed! My only hope is to get you guys so drunk tonight that you sleep through the wedding AND the reception tomorrow.”

Rachel smiled as she looked at both of her friends. “In that case,” she said, “we’re going to need another bottle of wine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my fabulous betas.
> 
> This didn't totally make it into the meat of the story, but in my head, Rachel studied music at Boston University, Stephanie studied computer science at UConn, and Alison got a degree in marketing from UC- Berkeley. In case you wondered.


End file.
